Baby Gammy parents David and Wendy Farnell to tell all in 60 Minutes interview

Australian parents of baby Gammy speak for first time0:20

The Australian parents of baby Gammy speak for the very first time on 60 minutes in an exclusive interview. Courtesy: Channel 9

August 8th 2014

2 years ago

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Thai surrogate mother Pattaramon Chanbua, a 21-year-old food vendor, poses with Gammy, a baby boy who was born with a Down syndrome, at a hospital in Sri Racha, Chonburi province, south-eastern Thailand.

THE Australian parents of abandoned baby Gammy have told their story to 60 Minutes in an interview to air this Sunday night.

After going to ground since the story broke last week, David Farnell and his Chinese wife Wendy have been interviewed by the Channel 9 program, saying they want Australia to hear their side of the story before passing judgment on them.

Gammy, the Down syndrome and critically ill baby at the centre of the scandal was born to Thai surrogate mother Pattaramon Chanbua and allegedly abandoned by the Western Australian couple who brought his healthy twin sister back to Australia.News_Image_File: Baby Gammy's WA parents Wendy and David Farnell.

The program’s Executive Producer Tom Malone said the Bunbury pair “asked (60 Minutes) for the opportunity to tell their side of the story.”

“We never comment on any commercial arrangements between 60 Minutes and our interview subjects but given the nature of this story, it’s important our viewers know that no money has been or will be paid to the parents,” Malone said in a statement.

“However, 60 Minutes will be making a donation to the charity Hands Across the Water, which is raising money for Gammy’s ongoing treatment and care.” News_Image_File: Pattaramon Chanbua, right, kisses her baby boy Gammy at a hospital in Chonburi province, south-eastern Thailand.

60 Minutes added that the pair have been cooperating with the Department of Child Protection since Wednesday morning and the program has not interfered with any inquiries by the Western Australian Department of Child Protection, or Western Australian Police.

The news comes after it emerged that the father of the surrogate twins was sentenced to three years behind bars in 1997 for indecently dealing with two girls under 10 and a further 18 months for indecently dealing with a child under 13. News_Image_File: Baby Gammy was born in Bangkok with down syndrome and a congenital heart condition. News_Image_File: Pattharamon Chanbua with baby Gammy.

The Thai surrogate, Pattharamon Chanbua, has accused the Bunbury couple of asking her to abort Gammy when his health problems were discovered and abandoning him in Thailand.

The interview will air on Channel Nine at 9.10pm this Sunday.

Meanwhile Seven has canned rival current affairs program Sunday Night for this week, opting to screen the first X Factor live show over two-and-a-half hours.